2. Mission & Vision
St. Columba is a community of believers in
Oakland California who know “WHO AND
WHOSE WE ARE!” (God's people). Through
the African-American traditions, we are moved
by the Spirit to serve in this world today. Our
church and its ministries & organizations work
to make the gospel of Jesus Christ better
known in our spiritual family, our communities
and the world.
3. Census Information
Race and Hispanic Origin
White 36.1%
Black or African American 23.6%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.9%
Asian 15.7%
Hawaiian or Pacific islander 0.6%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 26.9%
1.
4. Census Information
Age
Under 5 years 5.0%+/-1.0%
5-19 years 7.8%+/-2.2%
20-29 years 20.6%+/-2.9%
30-39 years 26%+/-2.7%
40-49 years 13.3%+/-1.8%
50-64 years 15.7%+/-4.4%
65+ years 11.7%+/-4.3%
1.
5. The ethnic make up of St Columba has
changed fluidly since being founded in 1898.
We learn from the church history posted on the
website that it originally consisted of some 100
families, mostly Irish. Following the 1906
earthquake the parish became 35% Italian and
the number of African American parishioners
also grew significantly over the next two
decades. Although no statistics are published
today, we learn from the website, mission &
vision and observation that St Columba is made
of Roman Catholic and primarily African
American.
2.
6. St Columba Catholic Church
6401 San Pablo Ave
Oakland, CA 94608
Alameda County
7. A church at a moving intersection
The church is located on the border of Oakland
Emeryville and Berkeley. Specifically 2 blocks
east of Emeryville and 6 blocks south of
Berkeley. The church address is in Oakland and
the Church Identity seems to be with Oakland
but the zip code refers almost exclusively to its
neighbor, Emeryville. This area is a vastly
changing place in economics and demographics
it is becoming increasingly affluent for example
in 1999, the per capita income of an individual
in Emeryville was $33,260 by the 2014-2018
census it had nearly doubled to $66,046.
3.
8. “We are a Roman Catholic Christian
community with a focus on African-
American spirituality...Through African-
American traditions and Roman Catholic
principles”
2.
9. Why is it important to note St Columba
is Roman Catholic?
According the Untied States Conference of
Bishops out of more that 20,000 Roman
Catholic Churches in the United States only 798
are predominately African American, or roughly
4% of the total American Catholic churches.
4.,5.
10. The Mission & Vision statement is wonderfully
concise. They say exactly who they are,what
they intend to do and with whom. Perhaps more
importantly they do what they intend. They
“work to make the gospel message of Jesus
Christ better known in our own family...” which
they do by conducting mass, daily study groups,
scholarship funds as well as many other
services, “...our communities” which they do by
their activist work, hosting 12-step groups and
more, “...and the world.” I learned recently about
a mission in Haiti which they fund.
11. The mission statement appears in fragmented
form all throughout St Columba's website, in the
mission statement for the education ministries'
pages and on the bulletins but in direct
reference to the church it only appears in its
complete form as a ghost on the web browser (it
is shown in search but not on the page to which
one is directed). I intend to ask the church's
office but they have not yet returned my call.
